Millions of shades, blinds recalled due to safety risk

WASHINGTON. - The Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling more than 5 million window shades and blinds that the commission says pose an immediate threat to children.

Across the country three children have died and seven others have nearly been strangled to death by the shades or blinds.

The problem is with the cords on the blinds and shades that can come loose, providing enough of a 'noose' to strangle a child.

The recall affects blinds sold under various names by Ikea, Pottery Barn Kids, Target, Expo Design Center and Vertical Land stores.

The problems on different types of blinds are as follows:

Horizontal Blinds: The blinds do not have inner cord stop devices to prevent the accessible inner cords from being pulled out. If an inner cord is pulled out, a child can become entangled in the loop and strangle.

Vertical Blinds: Strangulations can occur if a child's neck becomes entangled on the free-standing loop formed by the bead chain or by the cord with a weighted device.

Roman Shades (Target): Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck. Exposed operating cords can knot or tangle creating a strangulation loop.

Roman Shades (Pottery Barn): There have been six reports of children becoming entangled in the exposed inner cord on the back of the shade between March 2006 and July 2008. Four children were found with cords entangled around their necks. Scissors were used to release two of these children. Two children were found with red marks around their necks after having freed themselves. No permanent injuries were sustained.

Roman Blinds: CPSC received a report of a 2-year-old boy who suffered a near strangulation. His mother found him hanging from the looped bead chain.

"Parents need to understand that these are hidden dangers, that a child can get entangled or strangled on these cords very quickly," said Inez Tenenbaum of the CPSC.

Manufacturers are already designing child-proof blinds and shades, but retailers say the recalled shades should be returned or repaired now.

BREWSTER, Wash. - Deputies and officers in Okanogan County are investigating after a shooting Sunday morning. Okanogan County Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Brewster police Department responded to a call at 502 North Star Road in Brewster for a report of a 19-year-old man with a gun.

BREWSTER, Wash. - Deputies and officers in Okanogan County are investigating after a shooting Sunday morning. Okanogan County Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Brewster police Department responded to a call at 502 North Star Road in Brewster for a report of a 19-year-old man with a gun.

LOS ANGELES - Jim Carrey is being criticized on social media for a portrait he painted that is believed to be White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.The actor and comedian on Saturday tweeted the painting with the caption: "This is the portrait of a so-called Christian whose only purpose in life is to lie for the wicked. Monstrous!"

LOS ANGELES - Jim Carrey is being criticized on social media for a portrait he painted that is believed to be White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.The actor and comedian on Saturday tweeted the painting with the caption: "This is the portrait of a so-called Christian whose only purpose in life is to lie for the wicked. Monstrous!"

GRANT COUNTY, Wash. - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones says a deputy who plead guilty to reckless endangerment after accidentally shooting his wife last August is back on duty. The Franklin County Prosecutor initially filed felony charges against Deputy Jose Rivera following the shooting, which injured his wife. Those charges were later amended to a gross misdemeanor of reckless endangerment.

GRANT COUNTY, Wash. - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones says a deputy who plead guilty to reckless endangerment after accidentally shooting his wife last August is back on duty. The Franklin County Prosecutor initially filed felony charges against Deputy Jose Rivera following the shooting, which injured his wife. Those charges were later amended to a gross misdemeanor of reckless endangerment.

The Spokane Fire Department is still looking into the cause of a fire Monday.

Authorities in Mississippi say a 9-year-old boy has shot his 13-year-old sister in the head and wounded her after an argument over a video game controller. Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told local news outlets that the girl wouldn't give up the video game controller when her brother wanted it on Saturday. He says the boy shot the girl in the back of the head and that the bullet entered her brain.

Authorities in Mississippi say a 9-year-old boy has shot his 13-year-old sister in the head and wounded her after an argument over a video game controller. Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told local news outlets that the girl wouldn't give up the video game controller when her brother wanted it on Saturday. He says the boy shot the girl in the back of the head and that the bullet entered her brain.

ABERDEEN, Miss. - A Mississippi girl has died after her brother allegedly shot her in the head because she wouldn't hand over the controller of a video game. WCBI-TV reported Sunday that Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell says the girl is dead. Cantrell told local news outlets that the 9-year-old boy shot his 13-year-old sister in the back of the head. She was rushed to Le Bonheur's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, but didn't survive.

ABERDEEN, Miss. - A Mississippi girl has died after her brother allegedly shot her in the head because she wouldn't hand over the controller of a video game. WCBI-TV reported Sunday that Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell says the girl is dead. Cantrell told local news outlets that the 9-year-old boy shot his 13-year-old sister in the back of the head. She was rushed to Le Bonheur's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, but didn't survive.

KHQ.COM - Pull out your calendar and mark out April 2 as "Free Lunch!" After #16 University of Maryland-Baltimore County knocked off #1 Virginia, Little Caesars is making good on their promise to give everyone a free lunch. The pizza chain is going to be providing a free, $5-dollar lunch box on Monday, April 2nd, between 11:30 am and 1 pm local time.

KHQ.COM - Pull out your calendar and mark out April 2 as "Free Lunch!" After #16 University of Maryland-Baltimore County knocked off #1 Virginia, Little Caesars is making good on their promise to give everyone a free lunch. The pizza chain is going to be providing a free, $5-dollar lunch box on Monday, April 2nd, between 11:30 am and 1 pm local time. You can click here for the details.